Air-vent parachute



Sept. 13, 1932. CUNNlNGHAM l 1,877,227

AIR VENTPARACHUTE Filed Aug. 1,. 1951 Patented Sept.` 13, 1932 UNITEDSTATES .WILLIAM LESLIE CUNNINGHAM, F SALINA, KANSAS i.

AIR-VENT PABACHUTE Application led August 1,1931. Serial No. 554,395.

This invention relates to the classof parachutes and pertainsparticularly to means for causing the rigid opening of the same.

The primary object of the present inveiition is to provide a parachutehaving means associa-ted therewith about the edge thereof which are inthe form of air receiving cups and are designed tov open up immediatelyupon the releasing of the parachute from its container or its foldedcondition to trap and direct air into the main body of the parachute soas to cause the same to open up quickly. v A further object of theinvention is to provide a parachute having. auxiliary. air receiv- 4 ingpockets about the edge thereof, which are positively opened by springelements which foi-m a part of a frame, the frame and pocket being infolded condition and the spring elements being under tension when theparachute is folded.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with theaceompanyiiig drawing forming part of this specification, with theunderstanding, however, that 'the invention is not confined to anystrict conformity with the showing of the drawing but may be changed ormodified so long as such changes or modifications mark no materialdeparture. from the salient features of the invention as expressed inthe appended claims'.

In the drawing i Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the frame for oneof the air pockets formed about the edge of the parachute, the samebeing in folded condition;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 'but with the frame in the openposition which it assumes when the parachute has been released; Y n

Figure 3 is a detailed perspective view of an open air pocket or scoop;

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view detailing a portion of onecorner of an air scoop or pocket frame.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of an open parachute of the characterembodying the W present invention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing wherein like numerals ofreference indicate corresponding parts throughout ythe several views,the numeral 1 indicates generally the reinforcing body frame for one of55 the plurality of airscoops or'pockets which are formed about the edgeof the parachute body. Each of these frames as shown, has an archedupper portion 1a and spaced paral-` lel side portions 1b and a crossconnecting 00 bottom portion or bar 1c between the lower ends of theside portions 1". At their lower ends each of the side portions 1b isextended inwardly a short distance and then turnedl back upon itself toextend outwardly to join nu the adjacent end of the cross bar 1c thusforming the two spaced inwardly extending arms 1d and 1e which arejoined at their inner ends in the 4manner illustrated. The up er end ofthe arms or the arm 1d is o set `70 with respect to the lower arm .forthe purpose hereinafter more fully described.

Associated with each frame l is an arcuate loop 2 having the sidemembers 2EL each of which terminates at its free end in an eye 2b 75which is closed about the outer end of the adjacent arm 1e about whichthe loop oscillates,

The loop 2 has its side members 2 of materially less length than theside members 1b 80 of the frame 1 and is designed to swing into a vposition where it is in substantially the same plane as the frame 1, asillustrated in Figure 1. Surrounding each of the inwardly extending arms1" of each frame is a coiltwist spring 3 which has one end formed toprovide a hook 3a which engages about the adj a# cent arm 1d while theother end is extended parallel with the adjacent side of the loop 2 andattached thereto as indicated at 3b at a point removed a substantialdistance from the adjacent eye 2.1. v The body 4 of the parachute-embodying the present invention maybe formed in any suitable manner andof any suitable material and about the edge thereof there is formed aplurality of openings 5 of the same configuration as the framel shown inFigures 1. and v2. Each frame 1 has secured thereto 10 an edge` of ascoop-like cloth body-6 and is also secured in and to .the edge of anopening 5, the bar portion 1c of the frame l extending across theopenside or mouth of the opening 5 in which the frame is placed. Thelower edge of each scoop body 6 is secured to the loop 2 and the body 6of the scoop isv so cutthat when the loop 2 is moved to a position whereit lies in a plane at right angles to a plane in whichthe frame l'lies,it will assume a transversely arcuate form and pro: ject from the bodyof the parachute in the manner illustrated in Figure 3.

The cross bar 1c of each air scoop frame has attached thereto adjacenteach end, one of the free ends of a V-shapcd cord 7 to the point ofwhich is connected one end of a cord 8 which leads to the usual harnessdevice 9 which-the user of the parachute straps to his body. Additionalcords 10 may be connected between the edge of the parachute at pointsbetween the scoops G and the body harness 9, if desired, as illustratedin Figure 5.

In the use of the present parachute when the same has been folded up inthe usual manner, or if the same is to be retained in a carrying case'from which it is drawn when placed into use, `the loopmember 2 of eachair scoop or pocket will be folded up into the frame 1 in the mannerillustrated in Figure 1 and the spring 3 at each side of each frame willbe held under tension. Due to the relative positions of the arms lcl andle it will be apparent that the loop 2 may assume a folded positionwherein it will lie in a plane 7 parallel with the plane in which theadjacent frame 1 lies; When the parachute is released for opening thespring actuated loops 2 will also be released and lwill b e caused toassume the outwardly extended position shown in Figure 2 and thus willoperate to immediately open the air scoops about the edge of theparachute body. vThe scoops will thus immediately pick up quantities ofair and direct the sameinto the parachute and thus cause the same toopen rapidly.

Having thus described-the invention, what is claimed is 1. In aparachute, a'main air recelvlng body having a plurality of openingsthrough the wall and about the edge thereof, a foldable scoop-like bodycovering each' ofsaid openings and when o cned designed to pro- 'ectoutwardly from t e main body and having a lower free edge, andaframe-like body" conforming to and-secured about said lower free edge ofeach scoop and hingedly conl nected with the main body.

2. In a parachute, a main air receiving body having a the wall and a outthe edgethereof, a foldable scoop-like bodyv covering eachj'of saidopenings'and when opened designed to project outwardly from the mainbody and havmg a lower free edgea frame-like body plurality of openingsthrough conforming to and secured about said lower fr ee edge o ed withthe main bo y, and resilient means for positively moving each of .saidframelike bodies to a position to extend outwardly from the mainparachute body to effect the` positive opening ofthe air scoop when the'free edge, each of said foldable bodies being formed in a manner toextend outwardly from the parachute body to provide an air scoop, areinforcing frame in each of said openings, a loop frame pivotallyattached to each reinforcing frame andv further having connectionwithithe lower free edge of the adj acont foldable body, and resilientmeans controlling each loo frame to cause the same to swing outwar lyintoa plane extending substantially at right angles to the adjacentreinforcing frametormaintain the attached foldable body in openposition.

4. In a parachute, a main air receiving body having a plurality of oenings therethrough and disposed about t e edge thereof, .a foldablebody covering veach of said openings and having., an ed e secured to theedge of the opening *and urther having a lower free edge, each. of saidfoldable bodies being formed in a manner to extend outwardly from theparachute body to provide an aliscoop, a reinforcing frame secured ineach of said openings and. having side meinbers connected by a bar attheir` lower ends, said bar extending transversely of the opening, aninwardly extending palr of arms carried by each side member of eachreinforcing frame, a loop body having a pair of side members eachterminating in an eye and each eye encirclingan arm at one side of thereinforcing frame said loop bodyv being attached to and followin freelower edge of the adjacent foldable body, the other arm adjacent each ee constituting a stop forsaid loop when the atter is swung 1n onedirection, and a spring element carried by an arm of each pair andhaving connection with the attachedv loop and normally acting to urgethe loop to swing outwardly to .a position in a lplane extending atright angles to the attac ed frame. 5. In a parachute, a main airreceiving body havlng a plurality of openings in the wall about the edgethereof, a foldable body secured to thev main body over each of sai dopenings, upon the outside of the main body, said foldable body whenunfolded forming an ai-r scoop, a frame secured to a free edge of each,foldable body to maintain the saine in a desired form when the foldablebody is each scoo and-hingedly connectthe contour of the unfolded, theframe being oscillatably connected to the main body, and resilientmeansV carried by the main body and engaging theframe and normally urgedto move the same in a direction to unfold the foldable body.

6. In a parachute, a main air receiving body having a plurality ofopenings in the i Wall about the edge thereof, a foldable body securedto the main body over each of said openings, upon the outside of themain body, said foldable body when unfolded forming an air scoop, aframe secured to a free edge of each foldable body to maintain the samein a desired form when the oldable body is unfolded, theframe beingoscillatably connected to the main bod resilient means carried by themain bo y and engaging the v frame and normally urged to move the samein a direction to unfold the oldable body, a plurality of bodysuspending cords, and a pair of attaching cords connecting oneend ofeach suspending cord with the main body, said pair of attaching cords,being when in operative position, in downwardly converging relation andhaving their free ends connected to the main body at opposite sides ofthe foldable body.

WILLIAM LESLIE CUNNINGHAM.

